Dive Review of Sipadan Water Village in
Malaysia/Sipadan, Mabul, Kapali

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Sipadan Water Village: "Sipadan, Mabul, Kapali: spectacular diving", May, 2016, by Robert and Laura Mosqueda, CA, US ( Contributor 14 reports with 7 Helpful votes). Report 8945 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Spectacular diving. The SWV is on the island of Mabul. Depending on the number of other divers you may get to the island of Sipadan (30 min boat ride) 1-3 times during 6 days of diving. The magic of Sipadan are schools of jacks (thousands), barracuda (hundreds) and bumphead parrotfish (dozens) along with turtles galore, healthy colorful coral with clouds of anthia and butterflies, and lovely walls. Around the islands of Mabul and Kapali are wonderful walls and macro sites. The guides know where the pygmy seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, and wonderful array of nudibranchs are. On non-Sipadan days, the boat rides are typically 2-10 min and you go back to the resort after each dive. On Sipadan days, they set up a water/snack station on the island that you go to between dives. Dive guides are great. Some of the dives had strong current although it would only last for about 10 min. Mostly very easy diving. The SWV was a disappointment Rooms were hot and fans inadequate, there are no freshwater showers (due to drought), food was ok at times and just plain bad at other times, buffet was frequently out of one or more dishes that may take 15-30 min to refill if ever, long lines would form at grill because the one cook with the one pot couldn't keep up with demand, repeated requests to get water at the table. When staying in such a remote location I understand that there may be difficulties with amenities. My complaint is that the SWV felt like the equivalent of a Hilton Hotel but I was paying Ritz prices to stay there. Most important though: spectacular diving and great dive guides.
Websites	Sipadan Water Village
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	California, Socorro Islands, Cocos, Indonesia (Komodo, Lembeh, Wakitobi), Papua New Guinea, Sea of Cortez, Red Sea, Galapagos, Hawaii
Closest Airport	Tawau	Getting There	most fly from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau, then there's a 90 min drive to Semporna, followed by a 60 min boat ride to SWV.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	84-88°F / 29-31°C	Wetsuit Thickness	1
Water Visibility	25-100 Ft/ 8-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	The dms would give an approximate profile and then allow competent divers appropriate leeway.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Sipadan Water Village in Malaysia/Sipadan, Mabul, Kapali

Sipadan Water Village: "Sipadan, Mabul, Kapali: spectacular diving", May, 2016,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Sipadan Water Village in
Malaysia/Sipadan, Mabul, Kapali